Lifesaving garment



Nov.28, 1939. L. R. TEMPLE I LIFESAVING GARMENT Filed Nov. 25, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 1 ,29 Ze0nardfl.TeInpZe Nov. 28,1939. L. R. TEMPLE LIFESAVING GARMENT 2 sheets-sheet" 2- Filed Nov. 25, 1936 lieorzard R. Temple Patented Nov. 28, 1939 i i UNITED STATES ATENT 2,181,159

LIFESAVING GARDIENT Leonard R. Temple, Rosslyn, Va;., as'signor to Temple Safety on Sea Corporation, Ros'slyn, Va., a corporation of Delaware Application November 25, 1936, Serial No. 112,789 7 Claims; (oi. 9:20)

The present invention relates to life-preserv Referring to the drawings the numeral l desing appliances, and aims to provide a novel and ignates the torso or body enclosing portion of improved garment of water-proof material that the garment having attached or formed a part completely envelops the body and limbs of the thereof the leg portions H, which extend downwearer for protection against exposure and for wardly and also form the foot enclosing portions supporting the wearer in an upright manner with 12; Attached to, or positioned within the foot his head above the water when cast adrift in portions l2 are weights l3, each being of substancase of shipwreck, or the like. tially three pounds. The manner of formingthe Another object of the invention is to provide foot portions [2 and of affixing the weights I3 is a garment of the above indicated character havsuch that said foot portions are water-tight.

ing an opening at the neck of sufiicient size to" At the shoulder portions of the main body porpermit the wearer to get into the same, said gartion tilare attached sleeves l4, Which may be ment being of a construction and arrangement formed with the same material forming the body so: that it may be completely sealed about the portion ID. The ends of the sleeves [4 are closed neck to keep the wearer dry and to retain the in a water-tight manner and in form to provide heat generated by his body within the garment mittens I5. Under the arm pit portions of the protecting him from exposure. garment and attached to the opposite sides of A further object of the invention is the provi-. the body portion it are sections of buoyant matesion of a water tight garment having weights at rial 16, which extend downwardly to substantialthe foot. portions thereof tohold thefeet of the ly the hip portions of the garment, I 20 wearer downward, and having asufiicient quan- The neck band ll, which is attached to the tity of buoyant material attached to the body body portion It, as at H3, is of tubular construeportion of the garment to hold the wearer afloat, tion, having aninner wall l9 and-- outer wall 20 saidipositioning and association of the weights connected together by a rolled upper portion.

and buoyant material will support the wearer in The neck band is open in the front, as at 21,- and an upright vertical position with his head and has arranged therein between the inner walll9 shoulders above the water. and outer wall 20a substance of soft compressible It is: also anobject of the invention to provide material, such as sponge rubber, or the like, 2|, 2t garment-of character indicated, which is sim- The outer wall 26 of the neck band 13' is slita 0 ple and substantial in construction, which ay short distance from the open front portion 2H 30 be manuf ctured nom ll nd wh h w ll thereof, at each side thereof, as at 22, through beth u y elficient and Practical in which extends a fabric strap 23'. Each end of With the foregoing and other objects in View, the strap 23 is positioned exteriorly of the neck which W l be app as the description D or collar band, while the intermediate: portion of ceeds, the invention resides in the construction th strap xt nds through the slits 22 and is and ar n of parts, as hereinafter dearranged between the outer wall 2i! andthe scribed: and claimed; it being understood. that sponge rubber 2|". On one end of the strap wischanges can be made within the scope of: what a buckle 24* for connecting theends of the strapis claimed; without departing from the spirit of together to hold the collar band I l about the neck the invention; of the-wearer in a snug. manner. 4

The inventioniis illustrated in the accompany= Extending downwardly from thefront open ing drawings whereinz portion of: the collar band H aplacket 2-5, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved which terminates at substantially what would garment, showing the same in position for use, be the waist lin'e,,-as' illustrated in Figure 3 of the Figure 2 is a-similarview of the upperportion drawings; Attached to the front of the body 45 thereof, showing the same open prior to use, portion It and outer Wall- 20of' the collar band- Figure Sis a view similar to Figure 2 illustratforwardly of the: slits 22: insaid outer wall and ing the neck opening partially closed, spaced from the placket 25* is a gore 26,- Said Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section gore 2 6: is also attached t'o the body portion I0, 59 through the collar band, by means of stitchingor the like, below the'plack Figure 5' is a horizontal section through the ct 25'soas to form-water-tight connection of the neck portion in the position shown in Figure 3, gore 26 with the body portionvl'tl and collar band and H. The gore 26- is'ofconsiderable fullnessand' Figure 6 :is a crosssectiontaken'on line 6--6 of together with theplacket 25=provides an opening 35 Figure 1. of. sufficient size to. permit a person toenter the 2 garment at such point. It will be noted by referring to Figures 2 and 3 that the upper free edges 2'5 of the gore 26 extend a considerable distance above the collar band ll, the purpose of which will be set forth as the description proceeds.

Also attached to the front of the body portion it at the same opposite side attachment of the gore 26 to the body portion W are lapels 28 and 29, which have attached thereto respective portions of adjustable fasteners 39 for attaching said lapels together.

When the garment is to be used the same is arranged in the position illustrated in Figure 2, so as to provide an opening of sufficient size to permit a person to enter the garment through the neck opening and placket. After the person is in the garment the material forming the gore 26 is gathered in, either by pleating or any other manner and the strap 23 is fastened together exteriorally of the material forming the gore with the collar band ll snugly secured about the neck of the wearer, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. The gathered in or pleated portion of the gore 26 above the strap 23 is folded downwardly over said strap 23 and the lapels 28 and 29 are folded together and fastened by the adjustable fasteners 30 for holding the material of the gore 25 that has been folded over the strap 23 under said lapels and for holding the body portion ill at opposite sides of the placket 26 together about the body of the wearer.

With this arrangement it can be seen that the strap 23 first closes the open portion of the gore 25 and that the lapels 28 and 29 again close the open portion of said gore so as to prevent to the greatest degree the possibility of water entering into the garment through the gore opening. Also for preventing water from entering the garment the soft compressible sponge rubber will perfect a seal about the neck of the wearer irrespective of the fact persons necks are of various sizes, as one end of the collar band may be lapped over the other, compressing the sponge rubber throughout the area of overlap, as illustrated in Figure 5.

By providing the weights at the foot portions of the garment and the buoyant material at the sides of the body portion of said garment the person wearing the same will be supported in the water in a vertical upright manner with his head and shoulders above the water. Due to the manner in which the opening in the gore 26 is closed and the manner the collar band is sealed about the neck of the wearer, not only is water excluded from the interior of the garment, but the body temperature of the wearer will generate sufficient heat within the garment to keep the person comfortable even though he is adrift in water of a considerable low degree.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A lifesaving garment, comprising a body and limb enclosing portion having a neck opening therein and a placket extending into said neck opening, an upstanding collar at said neck opening, a gore arranged exteriorly of the body portion and attached to said body portion about said placket with its upper portion open, said gore extending above the collar and being attached thereto, and means carried by said collar for holding said collar snugly about the neck of a wearer and for closing the upper portion of the gore by holding said upper portion of said gore snugly between the collar and the said means.

2. A lifesaving garment comprising a main body portion having a neck opening therein and a front opening extending into said neck opening, a collar at said neck opening and being open at the front opening of the garment, a gore arranged exteriorly of said main body and attached thereto and to said collar about said front opening and having its upper portion open and extending above said collar, a member about said collar for holding the same to the neck of the wearer and to close the upper portion of the gore by clamping the same between the collar and said member, a pair of lapels one arranged at each side of said opening, and means attaching said lapels together over said gore.

3. A lifesaving garment, comprising a main body portion having a neck opening therein and and a front opening extending into said neck opening, a collar at said neck opening and being open at the front opening of the garment, a gore arranged exteriorly of said main body and attached thereto and to said collar about said front opening and having its upper portion open and extending above said collar, a member about said collar for holding the same to the neck of the wearer and to close the upper portion of the gore by clamping the same between the collar and said member, a pair of lapels one arranged at each of said front opening, and means attaching said lapels together over said gore, said upper portion of said gore above said collar being folded over said clamping member and extending downwardly under said lapels.

4. A lifesaving garment, comprising a main body portion having a neck opening therein and a placket extending into said neck opening, a collar of tubular formation attached to said main body portion at said neck opening and terminating at said placket, a soft compressible substance arranged in said tubular collar, a gore arranged exteriorly of the main body and attached thereto about the placket, said gore also being attached to the collar and extending above same, and a member positioned about the soft compressible substance in the collar to hold the collar to the neck of the wearer and to engage the upper portion of the gore for closing the same.

5. A lifesaving garment, comprising a main body portion having a neck opening therein and a placket extending into said neck opening, a collarof tubular formation attached to said main body portion at said neck opening and terminating at said placket, a soft compressible substance arranged in said tubular collar, a gore arranged exteriorly of the main body and attached thereto about the placket, said gore also being attached to the collar and extending above same, the outer wall of said tubular collar having slits therein one at each side of the gore, and a strap having the intermediate portion thereof positioned between the soft compressible substance and the outer wall of the tubular collar while its ends extend outwardly of the collar through said slits, the ends of said strap being connected together for holding the collar to the neck of the wearer and for engaging over the upper portion of the gorefor closing the same.

6. A lifesaving garment, comprising a main body portion having a neck opening therein and a placket extending into said neck opening, a collar of tubular formation attached to said main body portion at said neck opening and terminating at said placket, a soft compressible substance positioned in said tubular collar, a gore arranged exteriorly of the main body of the garment and attached thereto around theplacket,

said gore also being attached to the collar and extending above same, a strap carried by the collar and outwardly of the soft compressible substance for holding the collar snug to the neck of the wearer and for engaging overthe upper portion of the gore to close the same, said gore having its upper portion folded over said strap and extending downwardly, a pair of lapels attached to the main body one at each side of said gore, and adjustable fasteners on said lapels for attaching the same together over the main portion of the gore and over the down turned upper portion of the gore.

,7. A lifesaving garment, comprising a body and limb enclosing portion having a neck opening .therein and a placket extending into said neck tion thereof about the neck of a wearer and for closing the upper portion of the gore, said'gore having its portion above said neck opening folded over said member and extending downwardly, and means on said garment engaging said foldedover portion of said gore for holding the same in downwardly extending position.

LEONARD R. TEMPLE. 

